Spring-beard knitting machine



. Patented 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. KENNETH NORRISTOW. PENNSYLVANIA, Assrenon 'ro 'wmnm mi e- 00., or xomsrown, rmmsnvmm, a conronarron or rann I SPRING-BEARD KNITTING MACHINE.

Application filed December 7, 1926. Serial No. 8,117.

Theinvention relates to spring beard knitting machines, one object being to provide means for dividing the old loo from the new loop to facilitate-pressing o the needle 6 beard. Another object of the invention is to utilize the same lmplement which is employed in dividing the old loop from the new loop for the purpose of pressing the needle beard.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view enlarged of the spring needle and the vimplement for dividing the I old loop from the new yarn, said implement 'in this view being shown as adapted to also perform the pressing of the needle beard.

- Fig. l is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a portion thereof showing the hooked implement adapted to perform only the loop di viding action, the beard pressing being done by an ordinary presser wheel or cam,

Fig. 2 is an enlar ed view of the end of the loop dividing an beard pressing instrument.

Fig. 3 is a view of the spring needles of a rib knitting machine with the needles of both sets indlcated as in advanced position,

- and illustrating the sinking of the yarn to 80 the needles of the first set;

Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 3 with the elements in the positions assumed when the pressing of the needle beards of the first set of needles takes place.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show the elements in the different relative positions assumed during the knitting operation-as will be described.

Fi 8 is a diagram of the needle cams and t e presseroperatin cam.

As is well known to t ose skilled in'this art, difliculty has been experienced in rib machines employin spring beard needles owing to the restricted space between the.

old and new loops on the needles of the "4 second set in which pressing of the needle beards must be done, this restr ction imposing limitation upon the fineness 'Qf gageand rendering the operation of pressing uncertain owingf to' the liability of the beard face-of the presslng instrument 3 withln the being closed too soon andcasting ofi both loops or being pressed too late and causing tuck stitches. In order to increase this divisional space and provide means whereby the pressin of the beards of the needles of the secon set of about 30 to the vert1cal. The hook shaped loop divider and beard presser is indicated at 3, there being one of these for 66 each needle of the second set.

Its stem 4. works in the same needle groove with the needle 2 of the second set with which said hook is to cooperate, and it is rocked and 'reciprocated as will be referred 70 I to later. The needles 2 of the second set are of special construction in that instead of having an eye of a length which will receive only the needle beard, this eye in'the present invention is extended as shown to the'point 76 5. so that this needle when in advanced osition, may receive the barb 6 of the. 00k shaped implement 3. This barb projects from the end of the hook shaped implement.

The book shaped implement has a groove 8 so formed in this upper edge which edge inclines downwardly and inwardly in respect to the needle circle and is adapted to receive and press the beard 'of the needle of the second set, with which the hooked presser s5 is associated. The pressing action is due to the heard of the recedin needle engaging and riding along the inc lned-pressin surgroove.

With the elements in the position shown in Fig. 3 the yarn is being: fed to the advanced needles of the first set 1 by sinkers 9 as in ordinary practice. The loop dividing and heard pressing instrument 3 is in its retracted osition, i. e., it is r ised set ofi' latera y from the needle.

In Fig. 4 the needle 1 has retracted to the connection with the needle 2 so that its barb 6 has entered the eye of the needle and has also entered the loop 0 on the stem of the needle 2 of the second set andhas bent this loop down over the outer edge of the needle cylinder ll'so that said loop. occupies a position lower than it otherwise normally would do. In this action of engaging and drawing this loop 0 down alon the stem of needle 2 the barb 6 buriesitsel? in the elon gated eye.of the needle '2.- In this action of pulling the old loop down along the stem of the needle 2 it will be widely separated from the point where the new loop b is drawn across the stem of the needle'2 by the recession of the, needle 1 to its inward limit, or retracted position. Fig. 5 illustrates the osition o the elements just mentioned. ow when the needle 2. retracts from the osition shown in Fig. 5 and has reached t e position shown in Fig. 6 its beard has entered the groove 8 at the top of the hooked implement and has been directed down the said Q ove and through the loop a which is hefid downaway from the new loop b by the loop dividing and beard pressing hook 3. It will be noted that there is thus provided ample space for the pressing of the beard between the new and old loops b and c and the same implement which provides the wide separation or division between the old and the new loops also rovide's the means for pressing the needle 'eards.

Fig. 7 illustrates the completed stitch drawing stroke of the needles, new loop 6 now having been drawn through old loop 0, and the latter having been cast off into the fabric. In this figure the hooked instrument has assumed its retracted position away from and in respect to the needle 2 with which it has just cooperated, and that needle is now free to advance again to take new yarn for making a new 100 The cams for operating ,t 1e needles and the presser instruments are shown diagram matlcally in Fig. 8. These include the usual stitch cams ST and ST for the first and second sets of needles, also a cant A for operating the book 3 into contact with the oove C for giving the hook its movement in the direction of its length.

The cam A is suitably mounted on a post extending up from the cam box B. This cam A iscontacted by the back edge of the stem 4 of the presser and when this contact takes place the presser is moved up against the stem of the needle to bu its barb in the elongation of the eye of said needle. The

stem of the hooked instrument has a butt old loop as shown in Fig. 4. The relation of these cams A and C is shown in Fig. .8 by their positions in respect to the vertical line 'd-d, it being noted that relatively, the needles are supposed to be movingas a series in the direction of the arrow X.

I have marked on this diagram several vertical lines which indicate the several points along the course of these cams at which the various positions of the parts are taken as illustrated in the diagrams Figs. 3 to 7inclusive. That is to say, at the line marked 33 the needles and the hooked instrument are in approximately the relative positions shown in Fig; 3, and so the needles and hook will be in t e positions shown in the other Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 when they reach the lines correspondingly marked in Fi 8.

I t may be noted that the cam portion A which moves the hooked instrument radially inward to bury its barb in the needle e e,

need belong enough only to insure the ho ding of the instrument against its companion.

needle until the part 0 of the cam groove has advanced the instrument to the oint where the barb has passed into the old oop. After this barb has passed into the old loop the instrument will be held by the 100 thus engaged until dpressing of the needle beard is accomplishe 1 p In Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 this backing cam A does not a pear for the reason just stated; In Fig. 6 tihe pressing of the needle heard is taking place substantiall on the line marked 66 of Fi 8. ere the beard after entering the old loop, will exert a dislodging action against the presser, tending to move it outward laterally away from the needle stem and old loop following which the rise C of the presser cam'will act to elevate the presser. The needle 2 is formed with a slight hump 12 which as the needle recedes as shown in Fig. 6, will ride against the stem of the implement 3 and will move it away, or radially outward. This action takes place after the beard has been pressed and during the time that the needle 18 passing through the old loo This action augments the pressure of t e beard tending to force the presser implement outwardly after said beard has been pressed. This hum on the needle 2 will, therefore, act to hol the presser away from the needle as the needle rises from the position of Fig. 7, and therefore the head of the needle will not catch under the hook of the presser implement when the needle advances. The line y in Fig. 1 indicates the outer edge of the needle groove wall of the slotted cylinder.

In Fig. 1 is shown a hooked implement 3 which performs only the function of dividing the old loop from the new yarn, but not the function of pressing the needle beard, this latter function being performed by a presser wheel or cam indicated at '8, of any well known form. Thisimplement 3 has a hooked portion of slightly different form from the form first described, as will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 1, it having no shoulder 7 with reduced barb 6 like that first described and the hook being smaller than that first described. In this form of the invention the hooked implement will be y understood t at the invention is not limited to rib machines, the scope of said invention being defined by the appended claims.

I claim: i h

'1. In combination in a rib knitting machine, spring beard needles, means for feed-- ing and pressing the needles of the first set,

and an instrument for drawing the old loops on the second set of needles-away from the new loo len ths, fed across their stems 'by the ne les also pressing the needle beards of the second set to pass throu h said old loops, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a rib knitting machine having sprin beard needles, of which those of the secon set have elongated eyes,- an instrument for each of the needles of the second set having a point to enter said elongated eye and to pass through the old loop on said needle and. ull it awa from the position of the new 00p on sai needle, said instrument-having a surface inclined in re spect to the needle stem for receiving and closlng the needle heard as said needle re I tracts, substantially as described. I p

' 3.. In combination in a rib knitting machine, spring beard needles and instruments.

cooperating with the needles of the second set for eng'a ng and separating the 'old loops thereon f ibm the new loops, and for pressing the beards of said second set of needles,

and cam means for movin said instruments relative to the needles, su stantially as described.

4. In combination in a ribknitting machine, spring beard needles, in two sets, one

of which feeds yarn to the other, the needles of which latter set have elongated eyes, and

substantially as described.

the first set, said instruments,

away from thence les, and means for reciparate them from the new loop lengths, said i v instruments presenting surfaces at an inclinatlon to the needle torecelve and press the needle beards as said needles retract past said instruments, substantially as described.

5. In a rib knitting machine, the combina- -tion of spring beard needles, and implements having pointedends to enter the old loops of the second set of needles, and divide them from the new loops, said implements having surfaces along which the needle beardsmove and are pressed to pass through the old loops, and means for operating the said implements relative to the needles.

6. In connection with the-features of'claim 4, the groove in the instrument to receive and guide the needle beard, the bottom of said groove extending at an acute angle to thedirection of retractingmovement of the needle,

7 In combination in a rib knitting Inav chine, spring beard needles and instruments, one for each of the needles of the second set to enga e the old loop thereof and withdraw them a ong then dle stems from the new.

first set for dividing the old and new loops for pressing, substantially as described.

8. In connection with the features of claim 5 the cam for movi g the .pressers against the needles, and for r iprocating the pressers.

5 means for movin the pressers towards and rocating said pressers, substantially as described.

loop lengths, fed t eretoby the needles of the 10. In connection with the features. of v claim 5 the hump on the'needle which when;

said needle retracts en ages the stem of the.

presser implement an moves said presser away from the needle, substantially as described. g

11. In combination in a knittin machine, a sprin beard needle, and, an im ement associate therewith to withdraw t e old loop along the needle stem for dividing said old loop from the new loop fed to the needle to permit pressing of the needle beard in the space thus rovided. I

12. l A knitting machine according to claim 11 in which the implement which divides the 1 old loop. from the new loop alsoserves to press the needle heard. 4 v

machine accordin to claim! a 11 in which the s ring beard nee e has an".

' 13. A knitting elongated eye an the'loop dividing imple- ,'ment has a point to enter and move along saideye and to pass, through the old loop.

14. A knittin machine according toolaim 11 in which the 00p dividing-instrument has a point to enter-"the old loop and withdraw the needle stern for. receiving and closlng the needle heard as said needle retracts, substantially as described. i

15. A knitting machine according to claim I 11 in which the loop dividing implement has a groove, the bottom of which is at anacute Y angle to the direction of the retracting moves ment of the needle to guide and close the needle heard.

a .16. A knitting organization according to claim 11 in which the said needle works in a groove of-"a needle bedand the said implement works in the same groove with the needle, and along the front edge thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix m si ature. KENNETH Call]. 

